small town

In A Jam

I love this book. I loved it last year when it was my first read of 2023, and I loved it this year as my first read of 2024. I did it on audio this time around and it was so so so good (Jason Clarke 🥵)⁣
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It’s easily become an all time favorite for me. It has literally everything I love in a romance – small town, marriage of convenience, a grumpy MMC who falls first and hard, pining (my GOD, the PINING). It had me laughing and swooning in equal parts. Even the tagline makes me swoon – “She was the one who got away. She just didn’t know it.”⁣
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My review from last year still holds true – ⁣
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Noah, Daddy Bread Baker for those in the know, is a serious dreamboat. He’s pined for his former neighbor/high school crush for years, so when she shows up back in town to claim an inheritance, he immediately throws out a marriage proposal to help her out – despite the fact that he’s very grumpy she left him behind in the first place. ⁣
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He’s raising his niece all on his own and doesn’t really have time for a marriage, what with single handedly saving his family’s farm, helping out everyone in town, and perfecting his jam recipes but he just can’t help himself. His niece was an absolute hoot- I want to be Gennie when I grow up. Even though he’s grown up physically since high school, he can’t help but blush and panic when Shay gets close, which of course makes him even grumpier.⁣
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Shay is a bit lost, her seemingly perfect life has come crashing down around her and she doesn’t know who she is or what she wants anymore. She was an interesting if not a bit frustrating at times character, but I think I actually understood her more the second time around. It’s so obvious Noah is gone for her, but she just got out of a really long and toxic relationship so immediately jumping into something new can’t be easy.⁣
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The sparks between Shay and Noah were immediate, and though it was a slow burn, when things got physical oh boy did dirty talking Noah have me blushing. I loved how these two balanced each other out.⁣
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I love this book. ⁣

I Wish I Knew Then

Like a cold glass of sweet tea on a warm summer’s day, I Wish I Knew Then is a refreshing and very southern treat.

Riley and Louise had a whirlwind summer relationship when they were 18, only for Riley to unceremoniously dump Lu at the end of summer. It’s ten years later and the two run into each other at their respective best friend’s wedding, and Riley decides not to let Lu get away this time. 

Riley was a man determined, he sacrificed for love once before and wouldn’t make that mistake again. Louise is fresh off a long term relationship and not so sure she’s ready to start something new, especially with the man who broke her heart ten years before. 

It’s a very sexy story, full of exploration and rekindled feelings, but it’s also a warm and cozy story about a small touristy southern town and the wedding the two were brought together for. It’s also brimming with food descriptions that had my mouth watering as is common with any Jessica Peterson. Oh, and butt stuff. 

It’s a fairly low angst story, just a sweet second story with a lot of spice. I enjoyed it a lot! 

Glimmers of You

I really enjoyed this fake dating small town romance! 

This is book three in the Lost & Found series which brings us Grae, the youngest Hartley sibling, and Caden, her brother’s best friend who offers to fake date her in order to protect her from an ex who won’t leave her alone. In exchange, having a girlfriend will make him look more reliable to his company and get his dad off his back.

Caden has rubbed Grae the wrong way ever since she received her type 1 diabetes diagnosis as a teen and he basically disappeared on her but she needs her ex to stop bothering her so she puts her annoyance aside, at least in public.

Caden is a bit broody, his family sucks and he lost his sister years ago to cancer and never really recovered. Grae is tired of everyone treating her like she’s made of glass due to her diagnosis, and just wants to prove she’s a capable adult. The two had obvious chemistry and while brother’s best friend will never be my favorite trope, it didn’t bother me here. 

It’s a Catherine Cowles book so of course there is suspense and danger and I loved that it kept me guessing. Overall a great addition to the series and I’m so freaking excited for the next book!

Melanie Harlow

Melanie Harlow is one of the authors that got me into indie romance and I can honestly say I wouldn’t be the romance reader I am today without her books. I bought Frenched in March 2016 and never looked back. Her books strike the perfect balance of humor, heart, and heat for me. They’re exactly what I want in contemporary romance.

The steam is impeccable and plentiful, but there are also more emotional and romantic elements, alongside banter that makes me laugh every single time. The majority of the stories take place in Michigan and I love a Midwest setting.

And as of writing this, they are all in Kindle Unlimited!

Her books can really be read in any order, though I would recommend reading the individual series in release order (then again I recommend this for all series 😉).

🍷If you’re looking for small town, family oriented romance with lots of heart, start with Cloverleigh Farms.

🚜If you’re looking for a little more emotion, start with the After We Fall series.

⚾️If you’re looking for more lighthearted romcoms, start with Bellamy Creek.

If you want the full experience, which is not at all necessary to enjoy her books but will help you get every cameo and easter egg, go chronological release order.

Resisting the Grump

This one has been on my TBR since I saw this gorgeous cover last year! I finally made time to read it and I’m glad I did. 

It’s a small town, age gap romance between Rae, who returns home after college to help at her parent’s business, and Davis, the town recluse who Rae had a huge crush on as a teen but who barely knew she existed then. 

It’s a little messy and a little angsty. They both make a lot of mistakes and they’re both kind of mean to each other at times, and I was here for that! 

For my steam loving friends, I would say this book is pretty darn spicy and had me blushing at times.. 

I saw a lot of mixed reviews for reasons that I can’t explain without spoilers but I enjoyed it and apparently don’t have the same set of standards as those people. I’ve been slumpy recently and I was still able to read this all in one sitting because I wanted to know how it would play out.

If you are looking for a spicy, dramatic,  small town romance this one is in KU!